"You know, you shouldn't hold a grudge to the man. The relationship between a hunter and his smith are like a patient and his healer; each's life depends on the other. Without us hunter, their income and livelihood will deteriorate, but we also count on their creations to support and protect ours. Besides, wouldn't you feel more relieved when you know your armors are up to your expectation?" Salas preached the two as they waited in the line in front of the city gate to get outside.

The two gave her a cold shoulder, clearly still sulking from the treatment they got at the smithy.

"Next!" The gate guard shouted, and the line move forward a little.

Salas folded her arms and sighed. She turned back to face the two behind her, "Look, I don't care whatever you think about the guy. Hate him, kill him, do whatever you like. But you two better bury deep such emotion and thought when we are in the forest. You will need every focus you have if you want to get out of there alive. I already told Ben that I can not promise your safety, and he agreed that I won't be held responsible if you two die. So, focus. You don't want your day to get worse, do you?"

The two finally looked at her --even only for a moment-- and gave her a nod, then they threw their glances somewhere else again.

Salas sighed, this time more heavily, That's good enough I guess. She then turned back facing forward.

"Next!" The gate guard shouted, and the line yet again moved forward. A few minutes later, it was finally Salas's turned.

"Document, miss." said a different guard from the one who kept shouting and controlling the line.

Salas took a small parchment out of her pocket and gave it to him, "Salas, hunter, monster-hunting quest." She said to the guard.

"So that's what the quest we fetched is for." Jake commented behind her. The two noted that Salas was also given the card quest just like them.

The guard received the parchment after he wrote down the information she told him and opened it. A drawing of a ferocious-looking fox with black spiky furs was drawn on it, "Ferro Fox." The guard noted. He then glanced to the silver tag necklace that was hung on Salas neck. "Alright, miss. Do enjoy your hunting." He gave the quest card back and let her through.

"Next!" The guard beside him shouted again, and the line moved forward.

"Document, kids." The same guard with the record in his hand commanded.

Jake and Nila did the same thing as Salas did, but instead of one, they gave three quest cards to him. The guard stared at their wooden tag for quite a while. "Listen kids. Be ware of your surroundings at all time when you are in the forest, don't wander too deep, and come back before sun set regardless of the completion of your quest. You hear me?" He warned them as he gave their quest cards back.

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

The two nodded, and they were let through.

Salas who was already outside waved at them, "Lead the way kids. From now on until we get back I will walk behind."

"Why?" Nila asked warily.

Salas shrugged, "Because it is your quest."

The two looked at each other, "Fair enough I guess." Jake said as he walked in the front. Nila walked not far beside him, and Salas followed them twenty steps behind.

"Ten leaves of candle tree, seventeen petals of stone flower, and a handful roots of mirror moss." Nila listed the plants she needed with her finger. "We have dealt with the first two before, but the last one..." She turned to Jake.

Jake glanced to his concerned friend, "Don't worry, we just have to find it.".

Nila nodded, reassured by the confidence of her companion.

Not long after, they finally entered the Silverein Forest.

Their first ninety minutes in the forest was uneventful, the two already knew where to go and where to look for the first two plants. But things got difficult after that.

They combed the outskirt of the forest for two hours long and still hadn't found the mirror moss. They kept holding and looking at the picture of the plant on the quest card while searching, but still couldn't find it. They began being downhearted when they faintly heard the third bell from the city. Midday had come and they still hadn't completed the quest.

"Salas... Can you help us?" Nila pleaded to the woman twenty steps behind them.

"Forget it, Nila. She already said she won't." Jake shot her down, anger in his voice.

"He is right." Salas replied to Nila from afar, "You know, maybe now you feel that the time you have spent to search for plants is too long, but it is nothing compared to the time you have to spend searching for monster. After all, plant doesn't move, hide or run away. That's one of many reason why herbs-gathering is preferred over monster-hunting. Now keep searching, open your eyes."

Nila was dejected hearing their senior refusal to help them. How strange, we have been herb-gathering for a year with Ben. But why the one we currently do without him felt so hard. Are we actually this incapable without Ben's help? Nila thought to herself.

And so they kept walking through the forest, they even dared entering the slightly deeper part, thinking maybe the plant was there. With every hour they grew impatience and wandered further and deeper, until they found something that they hoped not to find.

"Draw your weapons!" Salas shouted as she began sprinting to the two. She Closed the twenty steps distant within two seconds.

The two obeyed and firmly held out their dagger and short sword, their eyes locked at the monster before them. Salas caught up with them and immediately assumed the vanguard position, shielding the two novice behind her. "Jade Eyes Jaguar," She said after taking a good look of the monster.

"Take ten steps backward, but do it slowly." the two did as they told.

Salas took out the spear that was strapped on her back, she made a stance and pointed her weapon at the monsters.

The Jade Eyes Jaguar lowered its body, readying itself to jump at its prey. Silence seethed over the tense situation. Both sides waiting the other's first move.

Suddenly, The Jaguar's jade eyes glinted, and a scream broke out from behind her.

"AAAAARGH!!! STAND BACK!! STAND BACK!!! HOW THE HELL IT CAN BE HERE??!! IT MOVE SO FAST??!!" Jake screamed while wildly swinging his sword around empty space. He then oddly jumped and rolled out to random direction. He kept fighting and talking to no one.

"J-Ja Jake! What's wrong!" Nila who didn't understand his abrupt and strange behavior loudly asked.

"Right, I forget I currently have two novice on me." Salas said as she slapped her forehead. "Nila!! Jake!! Close your eyes!!" She commanded, her stance unbroken, her weapon still pointed at the monster before her.

"Wh-what?! Why?!" Nila bewildered

"The big cat we are currently fighting can use mind magic! it can make you see things that aren't real! Don't look it in the eye!" She warned, still waiting the monster in front of her to make a real move.

"But we still need to look at it to dodge it!" Nila argued.

"Next time I will teach you how to fight the cat without exactly looking at it! But now listen to me and do as I say!!" Salas shouted loudly to override Nila's doubt and indecision.

Nila's gritted her teeth but finally obeyed her words.

"Jake!! Stop swinging your sword!! You'll hurt someone if not yourself!!" Salas called out her frenzied companion, still facing the real Jade Eyes Jaguar before her.

"You are telling me what I see is not real?! You want me to believe you?! After what you've done?!" Jake shouted back, still fighting nonexistent foe, randomly slashing his sword and jumping out of imaginary attack.

"Dammit Jake! I told you to left behind whatever thoughts and feeling before leaving the city!!" Salas grew impatience with her stubborn companion.

"Aargh!!" Nila's painful scream broke Salas' stance as she instinctively looked behind. There she saw, somehow, Jake had stabbed Nila in the back.